The Mourning
by Sarianna Phoenix
Summary: Tribute to the greatest spy in the history of the magical world.True secrets are only revealed in death. The story of the most mysterious couple of the century.Oneshot.


Disclaimer : Own nothing except what you don't recognize.

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The Mourning

By Sarianna Phoenix

Letter to Arianna Phoenix Dumbledore-Snape, the daughter of Albus Percival Dumbeldore and the wife of Severus Tobias Snape:

"Beloved,

If you are reading this, I am dead. It is very well, I believe. I have accepted the fact of my death long ago and so I ask you accept it as well. Do not grieve. My life, while not believed full, has served me well and was full indeed. I do deign to hope, though, that I have died fighting, keeping my vow to myself and my obligation to the light which had saved me from the dark road I was upon.

I do not believe I had known such hesitancy in addressing you. But I do. Now as I write this last letter, I am hesitant and I lack words. Yet, I must tell you this, you must know this.

Before I met you, I was lost. A man with no purpose other than to exact revenge, I was bitter and cold not only in appearance but in the very depth of my soul and heart. But you melted away that ice. You shone light upon the darkness of my heart, and without you, It ... I would not have been the same.

So I ask your forgiveness, you are the very lifeline I hung onto. I believe I have never told you this, but you are my savior angel. And I...

I love you.

Do not grieve my love; miss me as I shall miss you.

Yours forever in soul and heart,

S.S"

Arianna Phoenix Dumbeldore, the daughter of Albus Percival Dumbeldore, a wizard, and Lillian Neria Byrne, a muggle. Arianna is one of the most powerful witches in the world. Named after her father's deceased sister (only with two 'N's), Arianna never attended school until her fifth year when she was enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. There she met her then to-be husband Severus Snape, who was a Slytherin Sixth year.

Arianna was an intelligent witch with cunningness, loyalty and courage which made it difficult for the sorting hat to place her. But in the end, her father's genes presided over the rest and she became a Gryffindor.

Gentle and kind, Arianna did not let her house rivalries deter her from the then blossoming friendship between her and S. Snape. They kept it a secret as they did their relationship until seventh year, when Arianna found that her best friend had joined the ranks of death eaters. She, then angry, spent a year apart from him,

The parting left both very ill and tired and most of their friends say, lonely. They both grabbed onto solitude and became solitary figures until a month before graduation when Arianna and Severus were found in the "Room of Requirement" talking and laughing.

"They never told us how they made up." says Faili Zabini, Snape's best friend.

"Yeah," agrees the now deceased Lily Evans, Phoenix's best friend "One minute they're moping and lonely and heartbroken, and the next they are together. They were so sweet together, made for each other."

After graduation, it came out that Arianna "Byrne" was indeed Dumbledore's daughter which made her a direct enemy of Voldemort's. This was when she went into hiding, it is rumored that Severus Snape had then left her but that was proved untrue.

When the truth had come out, Arianna and Severus were secretly married and then she went into hiding. Snape had converted to acting as spy to the light side by then, and had done so for twenty years coveting the title of the best double spy in the history of Magic.

Two years after their secret marriage and forced separation in 1980, Arianna Phoenix was captured and brought to Voldemort; there she was tortured in front of the very eyes of her husband, who could not do a thing without endangering the both of them. Later, it was rumored that Arianna Phoenix died then while in captivity.

This was believed for fifteen years until Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived was captured as well when he turned fifteen in 1995. He had then managed to escape with help from a very powerful stranger.

"She was amazing," Potter told us "Could do wandless magic in an amazing way, she spent fifteen years locked in the dungeons of the Malfoy Manor until I helped her out of her magic binding bonds. Then she easily helped me and opened the cell doors. It must've been the easiest escape of the century!"

They then continued to the Order headquarters (location unknown) where they were met by a group of order members.

"The closest." Ginny Weasley-Potter comments.

Following is a list of Order Members that were there:

The Arthur Weasley family

Nymphadora Tonks

Remus Lupin

Sirius Black

Draco Malfoy (shocking isn't it?)

Alastor (Mad-eye) Moody

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Albus Dumbledore

Hermione Granger

"And then we entered," said Potter" They all looked at us shocked and no one recognized her. They all piled on me except for Dumbeldore who practically and very agilely (for his age) flew to Ari and hugged and kissed her. Minutes later they were all swarming around her. I remember my godfather, Sirius Black, twirled her around laughing."

And then as they all talked excitedly, the door opened.

There he was, the greasy potions master, the cold unyielding man, Severus Snape. He was staring at Arianna, bewilderment and something unknown in his eyes.

He had whispered something then, and she had started crying.

"And then the most romantic thing happened." Hermione Granger-Weasley says

"And disgusting," Ronald Weasley adds.

"It was not disgusting Ronald." Hermione informs her husband before she returns to look at us. "Anyway, he held her high and twirled her around then they kissed such a beautiful kiss. They seemed to glow pure light and they were both crying silent tears."

"It was beautiful." Ginny Weasley-Potter says.

Moments later everyone was looking at Severus Snape in shock. He didn't care we are told instead he took his wife's hand and led her out of the room.

"They spent hours locked in one of the rooms."

"Can't believe that was Snape of all people."

"Yeah, snogging maybe."

"George, my dear brother, control yourself."

"Maybe even more."

"Definitely more."

Then the twins turn to us

"Married couples!" They had both exclaimed when we asked about the powerful Severus & Arianna.

Years later, when Harry Potter turned seventeen the second war ended. The Great Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort finally. But to a terrible price. Many had died, and sadly one of those many honored victims was Arianna Phoenix's husband.

Severus Snape had died.

"She broke," Harry tells us "When Severus died. God." he says tears in his eyes as he recalls his godmother's expression "She was devastated. Did not speak. Did not eat. Did not sleep. She hadn't even cried! She was a shell of the witty, lovely Arianna Phoenix."

"A grieving Phoenix." He whispers and turns away.

"Until she got a letter." Hermione Granger-Weasley tells us.

One day, a month after the end of the war and Severus' death and the silence of the grieving Phoenix (as many started to call her), Kandere the Snapes' owl arrived with a letter.

"After that letter she just poof returned to the Arianna we knew."

"It was amazing; the change. We never knew what was in that letter, only that it had a profound effect upon her mourning soul."

After that Arianna Phoenix Snape lived a long life, a happy life. Though she never remarried, she had given birth to the triplets she had gotten pregnant with a month before the battle.

Albus Harold Snape, Kaliana Lily Snape and Severus Phoenix Snape became Arianna's life. And when she died peacefully in bed at the ripe age of 172, her hand was clutching that very letter that had turned her around and another letter.

Her own to her husband.

Together we shall be in body

As we forever were in our souls

Beloved.

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A/N: This is my first posted fic. I'd love to hear what you say about it so please review. I'd also like to hear what you think of me posting another story sort of a prequel about Snape's childhood and relationship with Arianna.

Sari and Solemn (the smiley)


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